All lessons › Kitchen chemistry: fizz, foam and fountains › Lesson 7
Australian primary science · Years 5–6 · Lesson 7 of 8
Design your own: research and plan
Inquiry question: What kitchen science question can we test ourselves?
Marked no materials needed
Planning an investigation
What students learn
Scientists research before they test. A good investigation has a testable question, one variable changed, a way to measure, and a safety check.
Success criteria
- I can research to choose a question I can test.
- I can name what I will change, measure and keep the same.
- I can write a safe method my teacher approves.
Preparation and materials
Before this lesson: Lessons 1–6 of this topic: yeast, acids and bases, sherbet and the demonstrations.
- iPads or the printed fact cards — 13 (one per pair)
- Projector or big screen — 1
- Paper or science books for planning — 26
Teacher setup
- Print the fact cards if students won’t use iPads.
- Decide which kitchen materials you will allow for the testing lesson.
Safety and adaptations
- Choose only materials from the approved kitchen list.
- Your teacher must approve your plan before you test it.
- No heating, flames, hydrogen peroxide or cleaning products.
Review your school policies and curriculum requirements before teaching.
How to investigate
The lesson sequence should leave pupils with evidence to interpret, not only an activity to finish.
- Read the fact cards or research one idea from the topic.
- Choose a question you can test with the approved kitchen materials.
- Write what you will change, what you will measure and what you will keep the same.
- Write a prediction with a reason.
- List your materials and number your method steps.
- Write one safety risk and how you’ll manage it. Show your teacher.
Teacher modelling prompt
Show a weak question (‘Is yeast cool?’) and improve it together into a testable one (‘Does the amount of sugar change how big the yeast balloon gets?’). Fill in change, measure and keep the same on the board.
Record and explain evidence
Recording question: What kitchen science question can we test ourselves?
| Our question | We will change | We will measure | We will keep the same |
|---|---|---|---|
| ________________ | ________________ | ________________ | ________________ |
Example recording headings; record actual observations, including inconclusive results.
Discussion prompt
Which question tells us what to change and what to measure?
Check understanding
What should pupils know? Name the three kinds of variables in a fair test.
Explain with evidence: Ella plans to change the sugar and the water temperature. What would you tell her?
Apply the idea: Turn ‘Is warm water better for sherbet?’ into a testable question.
Teacher answer guidance and saved classroom work are available through the main lesson experience where supported.